Self-winding clock



June 4, l929- F. c. HERBERMANN 1,715,500

SELF WINDING CLOCK Original Filed May 22, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l J Z 6 /54/5; /m/

A TTORNEY June 4, 1929. F C, lqERERp/{AlurqA 1,715,500

SELF WINDING CLOCK Original Filed May 22, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESS June 4, 1929- F. c. HERBERMANN SELF WINDING CLOCK Original Filed May 22, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 2:5/ AI A INVENTOR. F. C. Hf/fRMAA/A/ Hwy: O/Bw/yL z E J0 ATTORNEY afm [WTA/E55 Patentes Jun-e 4, 1929.

UNIT-ED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

. FREDERICK C. HERBERMAN N F MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

SELF-WINDING CLOCK.

' Application led May 22, 1926, Serial No. 110,896. Renewed December 2S, 1927.

r1`his invention relates to clocksprovided with magnetically operated winding mechanism particularly adapted for use in and with the installations of automobiles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide such a clock with a Winding mechanism simple in construction, certain in operation and of minimum cost of manufacture, the .said winding mechanism being operable 1o automatically and intermittently by magnetically operated means, the magnets being intermittently energized from the battery installed in the automobile.

The invention, therefore, consists in a clock mechanism combined with a magnetically operated winding mechanism,the magnets being intermittently energized and d e-energized by electric contacts made and broken during and by virtue of the normal operation of the clock, the contacts and the magnets being in circuit with the battery installed in the automobile.

The invention further consistsin the construction and arrangement ofl the various elements of the device as will be hereinafter more particularly lpointed outand explained.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, with parts in elevation, showing the interior structure of the clock and the winding mechanism therefor. l

Fig. 2 is an end elevation with the cover removed showing the poles of the magnets, the armature and the make and break mechanism, the arma-ture being illustrated in one of its extreme positions of movement at the moment of closing the circuit of the magnet coils.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the position of the electrical contacts at the moment of or immediately after the breaking of the circuit of the magnet coils, the trap having sprung closed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in detail showing the position of the contacts of the arma-` ture just after the breaking point of the circuit, the trap shown open.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5 5 of Fig. l, the connecting'base plates of the magnets being shown vin dot and dash lines.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7--7 of Fig. 6. p

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the make I and 'break contact lever.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the element hereinafter referred to means of which the movement of the make and break contact lever is governed.

In the drawings, in `which like reference characters refer vto like parts in the several views, the clock mechanism is of the usual construction, some of the elements of which in the interest of clearness are omitted from the drawing and will not 'be specifically hereinafter referred to in view of the fact that clock mechanisms as such are old and of the further fact that the present invention may be applied to the ordinary clockor watch movement, the structure of which is well known to those skilled in the art.

The clock mechanism with its attached magnetically controlled winding mechanism .is mounted in a casing 10 which may be suitably ltted and secured to any suitable support and particularly the ordinary instrument board of an lautomobile.

The face ture consisting broadly of parallel plates 20,

as the trap byp late 12, bearing the minute andy hour indications of the clock is rigidly se-v 22, 24 and 26, the plates being connected together in parallel position by a series of eight connectingFrods or posts,l six of which'are shown in ig. 1 as "28, 30, 32, 341, 36 and 38,

the other two being emitted from Fig. 1 in the interest of clearness, the end of one however being sliown at40 in`Figs. 2 and 3.

The mechanical elements of the clock essential to a clear understanding of my in ventionand aportion of the winding mechanism'thereof will now be described.

Extending centrally through-the skeleton supporting structure is a. shaft 50, sections of of the casing 10 in a position to be grasped by the operator. The shaft is journaled at 56 in the plate 20, and extends outwardly in reduced cross section at 58. On this portion 58 of the shaft 50 is mounted a sleeve 60 provided at one end with a gear 62, and upon the other, end of which is mounted the minute hand M secured by a washer lw in the usual way. The hour hand H is in turn mounted upon the outer projecting end of a ples of my invention.

sleeve 64 journaled in the face plate 12, and upon the other or inner end of which sleeve is a gear 66. The gears 66 and 62 are int-ermeshed with othergears, a portion of which is shown at 68 in the well known vway so that the minute hand will make twelve revolutions of the clock dial while the hour hand revolves but one, all of which is well known to those skilled in the art and does not require further description in order to have a full understanding of the construction and princi- Upon the shaft 50 ismounted and 'fitted a sleeve 70, which passes through and 1s Journaled in the parallel plates 24 a'nd 26. Upon one end of this sleeve is mounted the limb of a four armed armature A and it is fixedly secured thereto by means of a set screw 72. At the other end of the sleeve 70 is secured at 74 one of the free ends of the main spring S, the other free end'of the main spring being secured to a stud 76 projecting from the adjacent face of the plate 24' at a point near the circumference thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.v I `also secure to the end of the' sleeve 70 by'a pin 78, or by any'suitable means, a disc 80, having inclined ratchet teeth V82 ,cut in itsperiiphery. A collar 86 is xedly mounted upon the section 51 of the main shaft 50, by means of a set screwv 84. Two sliding collars 88 and 90 are also mounted upon the 'section 51 of the shaft 50, the collar 88 `having the disc 92.rigidly mounted thereon by brazing or in any lsuitable manner. A pawl 94 is pivoted at 96 near the periphery of the disc 92, the point of the pawl engaging the teeth 82 on the periphery of the disc 80, as clearly indicated in the drawings. y

Rigidly secured to the sleeve 88 is the governing or master gear wheel 98 which meshes with the other gearing of the clock mecha' nism which latter is not necessary to here described for it has no relation otherwise je the present invention. Consequently, in the interestrof clearness, the remaining lgearing orother operating elements such as the escapement, &c., of the clock mechanism are neither illustrated nor will they be further referred to herein as. such constructions are well known to those skilled/in the art.

The coilspring 91 surrounds the sleeve 90 and engages at opposite ends thefixed collar 86 and the flange of the slidable collar 90 in order to hold the-slidable collar 88 and connecting plate 92 in place.

From the above description it is readily seen that the minute jand hour hands of the clock may be adjusted to yproper position by manipulating the thumb wheel 52 and when the armature A is moved in one direction by means of the main spring S, while being unwound or expended to operate the clock mechanism, that on thecontrary the main spring will be rewund for a like amount when the armature. A is forcibly turned throughout the same distance in the reverse direction by its attraction due to the action which is mounted by a nut 124 to the plate 26,

the terminal being properly insulated by a spool of insulation 126 between the nut and t e terminal plug 128. The line wire WS,

leading from one pole of the battery B isl suitably secured by a screw 130 to the end of the plug 128 Which-is suitably insulated from the casi-ng 10 as by means of bushing 126A. The other pole of the battery is connected by the wire WN at 132, to the metal casing 10.

The wires from the other ends of the coils I are permanently and electrically secured to `the lower' end of the terminal 133 which is electrically connected to plate 134 and inf l' sulatedfrom the frame.

The metal plate 134 is mounted upon a slab of insulating material 136, the said slab being secured to the plate 26, the plate 134 being provided with a turned over `edge or ange 137 which lies closely to the inner edge of the plate of insulation 136.

As heretofore described, the 'armature is centrally mounted upon the sleeve 70,`and it consists'of a piece of soft iron so formed that its center or hub. rThe ends of each of said arms extend over and are closelyadjacent to- 'four arms project in aradial direction from they will be positively and certainly affected by the lields of the magnets when the magnets are energized and will consequently be attracted to a position directly over the poles of the magnets when the respective fields are created.

One of the arms of the armature whichis positioned near to the plate 134, mounted upon the insulating slab 136, is provided with an elongated slot 138, on one side ,of

which near the outer end thereof is pivoted a contact lever 140 shown in detail in Fig. 10. This lever is provided with an anti-friction roller contact bearing 142 at one end and with an upright flange 144 at the other end, the lever being pivoted at 146 to the armature arm, 'the inner free end of the lever being held by a spiral spring 148, one end oi said spring being attached to the iiangc 144 and the other end to the hub of the armature at 150, thereby tending to cause the roller of the little contact lever to have a tendency to press outwards.

On the plate 26 is pivoted at 152 adjacent the plate 134 a bell crank lever 154, commonly called a trap, illustrated in detail in Fig. 11, which bell crank lever or trap is provided at one free end with a bent up flange portion 157 and at the other free end with an aperture 158 to which is secured one end of a spring 160, the other end of said spring being secured to the base of an elongated opening 162 positioned ask illustrated in Fig. 2 in the plate 26.

As will be readily. understood, when the sleeve 70 is turned on the shaft 50, by means of the operation of the main spring, the contact roller 142 will engage the inner surface 155 of the ilange 157 of the trap, and when the contact lever is freed from the inner edge 159 of the flange 157, the spring 148 will cause the contact roller to engage with the inner iiange'j137 of the metal plate 134, thus closing the contact of the electric circuit, energizing the magnets, forming a iield about theirpoles, which immediately attracts the armature to cause it to turn in the opposite direction to wind the clock mechanism to the extent of the previous unwinding from that which it had been revolving. The arms of the soft iron armature by this movement to the magnetic attraction will be positioned over the center ofthe poles ofthe magnets at which time the roller will be freed from contact with the iiange of the metal plate 134 and brought into engagement with the edge of the insulating plate, thus breaking the electric circuit from the battery to the magnets .and enabling the main spring toI again operate the clock for a time and move the armature arms from over the poles of the magnet when the main spring again eXpends itself in the operation of the clock, the roller contact engaging itself with the inner surface 155 of the flange 157 of the trap, as shown in Fig. 3, which .is always spring held in a central position, by the contraction of the spring 160. The roller contact is thus enabled in each cycle to pass by the respective ends of the flange 157 of the trap 154, so that the mechanism may repeat this operation again and again to the end that as the main spring is unwound during its control of the movement of the clock, the expended portion is in turn again wound due to the oscillation of the armature when brought again to its position over the poles of the magnets because of the fact that the armature is attracted to the poles of the magnet at yand during each intermittent energization of the f magnets.

As is shown particularly in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 11, the trap 155 when rocked to catch the roller 142 on the inner face', forms a smooth uninterrupted continuation of the surface of the insulating block. Moreover, the smooth continuous surface thus formedhas a curvan ture centered on the axis of the sleeve 70 and armature A, so that there is no appreciable resistance to the passage of the roller 142 throughout the entire path of movement of the armature. This has the advantage of not interfering with the action of the mainspring and not introducing any irregularity op dlisturbing effects into the operation of the e oc Having described the structure of the parts of the mechanism embodying my invention and at the same time having referred to the functions resulting from the movements of those parts, l will now describe in general the operation ofI the complete device.

. The mechanical construction'of the watch or clock is similar to an ordinary watch except that the, main spring is mounted on a'sleeve which rotates about and around the center supporting shaft. As above stated, certain portions of the clock mechanism, such as the mainspring barrel and the connecting gears from the main clock winding gear 98 are not particularly referred to as necessary to a full understanding of my invention.

Upon the same skeleton structure in which the clock mechanism is mounted is mounted the magnet equipment which consists of two horseshoe electro-magnets symmetrically and equally spaced in a circle around the center shaft. rl"he armature which is to be attracted by the fields of these magnets when energized has four arms which coincide exactly with the spacing of the magnets. The main spring of the clock by its power drives the center unit of the shaft through the engagement of a gear wheel against a pawl mounted on a plate at the same time that the main spring operates the clock. Because or" the fact that the armature is mounted on a sleeve, to which one end of the main spring is secured, and is thus in tact an intrinsical part of the mainspring arbor, the mainspring power also causes the armature to rotate from the poles of the four electro-magnets. OnI the armature is a movable sp ring actuated lever which is provided of which will result in causing the clock to e5 at one end thereof with a roller contact point,

the lever being constantly under spring tension. During the backward movement of the armature and lever caused vby the operation of the main spring lin the ordinary movement of the clock mechanism, the rollerl contact point on the lever, which latter is attached to the armature, is guided against a pivoted trap so constructed and so placed that as it moves it increases the tension of the coil spring secured to the lever. When the roller contact point of the lever reaches the end of the trap, the spring forces the movable lever to strike against the immovable contact plate, which is rigidly mounted upon an insulating slab, thereby closing the electric circuit of the bat- -tery and producing a field about the poles of the magnets. The armature is immediately attracted by the fields of the four magnets and asv this armature is mounted on the same sleeve as the mainspring arbor, the movement of this arbor winds up the mainspring. rihe actuation of the armature causes the contact lever mounted upon it to move in the same direction and' the roller contact continues to complete the electric circuit of the battery lodges a spring actuated pivoted trap, and the trap under sprin tension will resume its normal position a ter the roller contact hasY cleared it.

The trap will now act as a guide for the roller and during the subsequent movement of the spring roller alon the guide flange of the trap a tension is p aced on the spring of the contact lever. During this movement of the armature, due to its attraction by the magnetic field, the sleeve mounted gear Wheel moves slowly because of the fact that the spring pressed pawl passes idly over the teeth on the periphery thereof, but when the magnet field ceases to exist the pawl engages the gear wheel and the main spring again operates the clock mechanism and oarries the armature away from the poles of the magnets. This operation, as above described, is repeated again andl again, and it will last just as long as the battery is charged'. Five or six minutes are consumed for the armature to travel back to the point at which the contact is made, consequently, the main spring operates the clock mechamsm every five or six minutes and in turn is rewound every live or six minutes, the tension of the main spring,

` keep more accurate time.

' As will clearly appear from the above the design of the construction is extremelysimple and the mechanism is very compact and the productive costs are very much lessened. 1t is a practical impossibility to make an electric contact except at the proper time because of the fact that the contact is governed by the trap, and as the spring is in operation for a period of only ive or six minutes at a time and then rewound for repeated action, the force of the main spring is very constant, and the operation of the time piece is very regular.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Let-v ters Patent is:

l. A device of' the type described which comprises a clock mechanism, a driving shaft projecting from said mechanism, an electric circuit, a pair of horseshoe electro-magnets in said circuit arranged symmetrically about said shaft with their yoke portions toward, and their poles projecting from, said clock mechanism, an armature mounted on said shaft and having arms positioned to be drawn into the fields of said electro-magnets and to be drawn therefrom by said clock mechanism, a contact plate in said circuit, a lever mounted on said armature arm and having a contact roller at one end toV contact with said contact plate and close said circuit, a rocking trapl plate movable'to permit said roller to contact with said contact plate as said armature moves into the fields of said electro-magnets, and means to rock said trap plate to hold said contact plate upon the return movement of said armature.

2. A device of the type described which comprises a clock mechanism, a driving shaft projecting from said mechanism, a pair of horseshoe elec-tromagnets arranged symmetrically about said shaft with their yoke portions toward, and their poles away, from said clock mechanism, Van armature mounted on said shaft and movable into the field of said electro-magnet, a circuit for said electromagnets comprising a stationary contact plate and a pivoted lever on said armature having a contact and a spring acting on said lever for resiliently holding said contact against said contact plate, and a trap plate pivoted to lift and permit said contact to slide betweenY it and said contact plate as said armature moves into said magnetic field and to interpose a liftingv surface toseparate said contact and contact plate as said armature is withdrawn from said-magnetic field. V

3. Apparatus of the type described which comprises a sha-ft, a pair ofhorseshoe electromagnets svmmetricallymounted in parallel.

relation about said shaft and havin-gpolepieces, an armature mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith in position to oscillate into and out of the magnetic field overlying said pole pieces, a main spring mounted on said shaft to drive a clock mechanism and to urge said armature out of said magnetic field, an electric circuit including said electromagnets, a stationary insulated contact plate included in said electric circuit, a pivoted lever on said armature, means resiliently pressing said lever against said contact plate and a trap plate pivoted adjacent said stationary contact plate to permit the Contact end of said lever to pass between said stationary contact plate and said trap plate as said armature moves into said electric fields, and means to tilt said trap plate when the armature reaches the end of its movement into said magnetic field to intercept the contact end of said lever and lift it from contact with said contact plate until it reaches the opposite end of said trap plate, said horseshoe electromagnets being arranged with their yoke portions nearest to, and their poles pointing from, said `mainspring.

4i. A device of the type described which comprises a clock mechanism, a `driving shaft projectinof from'said mechanism, a pair of horseshoe e ectromagnets arranged symmetrically about said shaft with their yoke portions towards, and their poles away from, said clock mechanism, an armature mounted on said shaft having arms adapted to be attracted to and overlap the poles of said elec troma cuit w en said magnets are energized, and to be drawn therefrom by said clock mechanism when said electromagnets are de-energized, an electric circuit through said electromagnets, means for closing said electric circuit when said armature arms are withdrawn to a limiting position by said clock mechanism and until said arms are drawn to overlap said pole pieces, and means for breaking said circuit when said armature arms overlap said pole pieces and for holding said circuit open `while said armature is drawn from said pole pieces.

5. A device of the type described which comprises a shaft, a clock driving means actuated by the rotation of said shaft in one direction, a pair of-horseshoe electro-magnets distributed 1n spaced relation symmetrically about said shaft as a center, with their yoke portions nearest said clock windin means and their poles awayl from said clocl winding means, an armature on said lshaft having arms movable into the lields of said magnets to rotate said shaft in a `direction opposite to the driving means, an electric circuit for energizing said yelectro-magnets, means for opening said circuit as said arms reach the end of their movement into said magnetic elds and holding said circuit open during the return movement and for closing saidcircuit at the end of the return movement,

ets and completing a magnetic cirand holding it closed until said arms reach the end of their movement into said elds, said means comprising a yielding and resilient contact carried by said armature, a cooperating fiXed contact, and an element for deflecting said yielding contact out of contact with said plate member during a part of the movement of said armature in the clock driving direction.

6.V A device of the type described which comprises a shaft, a clock driving mechanism actuated by the rotation of said shaft in one direction, a pair of horseshoe electro-magnets distributed in spaced relation about said shaft as a center, with their yoke portions nearest to, and their pole ends farthest from, said clock winding mechanism, an armature on said shaft having arms movable into the fields of said magnets to rotate said shaft in a direction opposite the 4driving movement, a stationary Contact plate, a contact carried by an armature arm and resiliently pressed against said Contact plate, said contact plate and contact being included in the circuit of said electro-magnets, a tilting trap plate between which and said contact plate said contact passes as said armatures move into said magnetic fields, and means for swinging said trap plate between said contact and Contact plate to separate them as said armature reaches its end position in said eld and during its return movement.

7. A device of the type described which comprises a mainspring, an armature connected to said mainspring, an electric circuit, a pair of electro-magnets in said circuit to attract said armature upon the closing of said circuit, a contact plate in said circuit, an insulating plate having a surface adjoining that of said contact plate, a contact lever on said armature resiliently pressed against said contact plate to close said circuit, said lever being drawn onto said insulating surface at the end of the movement of the said armature toward said electro-magnets, and a trap plate to intercept said contact lever and separate it from said contact plate on the return of said armature from said electro-magnets by said mainspringz the intercepting face of said trap plate formlng a smooth, uninterrupted surface with said insulating surface and having a circular curvature concentric with the aXis of said armature. c

8. A device of the type described which comprises a number of electro-magnets, a pivoted armature for said electro-magnets, means to withdraw said armature from the fields of said electro-magnets upon the de-energization of said electro-magnets, a circuit comprising said electro-magnets, a contact plate in said circuit, a contact lever mounted on said armature and resiliently pressed against said contact plate to close said circuit when said armature is drawn out of the fields of said electro-magnets, an insulating plate having a surface receiving the contact-end of said' lever at the end of its movement into the ields of said electro-magnets, and an insulated trap "plate for intercepting and separating said contact end of saidlever from said contact plate during the return movement of said armature from said electro-magnets, said trap comprises a main-spring, an armature con nected to said main-spring, an electric circuit, a pair of electro-magnets connected together at one end and havlng free pole pieces to attract said armature upon the closing of said circuit, a fixed contact in said circuit,

a contact lever resiliently carried with said armature and contacting'vvith said'fixed contact when said lever is drawn by said-'mainspring to a maximum distance from said electro-magnets, means providing a smooth path for said contact lever during its return movement concentric with the axis of said armature and insulated from said xed contact whereby said contact lever is moved by said mainspring Without variation in resistance to movement during its travel towards said xed contact.

10. A device of the type described which comprises a clock mechanism, a driving shaft for saidmeohanism, a horseshoe e1ectromagnet in longitudinal spaced arrangement to said shaft and having its yoke portion to- Wards, and its pole pieces from, said clock mechanism, an armature mounted on said shaft with arms placed to be attracted to and overlap the poles of said electro-magnets when energized, and to be drawn therefrom by said clock mechanism when said electro-magnets are de-energized, an electric circuit through said electro-magnets, means for closing said electric circuit when said arms are Withdrawn to a limiting position by said clock mechanism and until said arms are drawn to said pole pieces, and means for breaking said circuit when said armature arms vreach their limiting position towards said pole pieces and for holding said circuit open While said armature is drawn from said pole pieces. v

11. A device of the type described which comprises a shaft, a clock Winding means actuated by the rotation of said shaft in one'direction, a pair of electro-magnets positioned longitudinally of, and in spaced relation to, said shaft, a yoke connecting the ends of said electro-magnets nearest said clock Winding means to form said electro-magnets into a horseshoe magnet with the poles pointing from said clock Winding means, an arma ture on said shaft having arms movable into the fields of said horseshoe magnet to rotate said shaft in a directionopposite that of its driving movement, an electric circuit for energizing said,electromagnets, means for opening said electric circuit as said arms reach the end of their movement into said magnetic lields, and holding said circuit open during the return movement, and for closing said circuit at the end of the return movement and holding it closed until said arms reach. the end v'of their movement into said electromagnetic tields, said means comprising a pivoted contact actuated by said armature, a cooperating iixed contact, and an element for holding said pivoted contact out of contact with said` fixed contact during movement of said armature in the clock driving direction.

FREDERCK C. HERBERMANN. 

